Almost Not
by Lannawannabe
Summary: Tom must save the ship... and B'Elanna! note- 1st i love you story. oh, and please review!


Almost Not  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Star Trek. That is sadly the truth. Don't sue me, 'cause I take zero credit for the creation of these characters.  
  
Note: in this one Kes' molecules did NOT destabilize and she did NOT disappear into a zillion little parts.  
  
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BAM!! A large convulsion rocked the starship U.S.S. Voyager. Captain Katherine Janeway tapped her COM badge, "Janeway to Engineering, report!" "The warp core casing just cracked. I've got at least twenty covered in plasma, at least five dead. I'm going to evacuate Engineering. Carey and I will stay and try to shut the core down," Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres, the Chief Engineer, shouted. "Do it," the Captain noticed how worried Lieutenant Tom Paris, the Chief Pilot, looked. "She'll be fine, Tom," Janeway said reassuringly. Tom was about to reply when BAM! Another explosion rocked the ship, almost rolling it. Tom spun his chair back to the helm and tried to bring the ship under control. "Engineering, report!" The Captain waited. Nothing happened. "B'Elanna, what's going on?" "Carey here," she heard. "Carey, what happed?" "B'Elanna's still inside. The plasma caught fire and support beams started falling. She ordered us out. She was right behind me. I left and a beam fell on her. The door sealed. I can't get back in." Captain Janeway turned just in time to see the turbolift doors close in front of Tom's face. "Damn," she swore under her breath.  
  
Tom Paris was breathing quite heavily. He couldn't believe he was doing something so stupid. He was going to be in so much trouble when the Captain- "Janeway to Paris. Tom, get back up here before I have your wings!" "Sorry, Captain, I've got to save her. She's my everything. Beside, I have a plan." "Paris." "Sorry," Tom replied. "I've got to go." He took off his Com badge and crushed it under the heel of his boot. He needed B'Elanna more than he needed to fly this starship. Now all he needed was a plan.  
  
The turbolift stopped at Engineering. He ripped off his sleeve and tied it over his mouth and nose. He ripped off the other sleeve for B'Elanna. With luck, she hadn't inhaled too many toxic fumes yet. The sleeves would only do so much to block the plasma fumes. Tom took a deep breath. "Computer, open turbolift doors." "Unable to comply, security and health risk," the computer replied in a monotone. "Security over-ride Paris Omega 66." The door opened. Tom stepped out into the plasma filled room. He saw her immediately. He ran over to her, careful to avoid the puddles of plasma that dominated the floor. She wasn't trapped, but the beam had knocked her unconscious. He tied his sleeve over her face and picked her up. Thank God she was light enough to carry. He ran back to the lift and set her down. The doors closed and any plasma fumes were vented. He untied the cloth from her face, and then his.  
  
He checked her pulse. She was still alive. "Wake up, B'Elanna. Come on, wake up." She didn't move. Then he got an idea. "Alright, so you're admitting I AM stronger than you." "No way, you pig," he heard her mumble. She was starting to come to. He was so happy he started to tear up. "Where am I?" "In the turbolift outside Engineering." "Engineering! Tom, I've got to stop the leak!" she started to get up, but he pushed here back down. "Settle down. You've got a concussion. Your body could give out on you. I'll fix it. Tell me what to do."  
  
Once more Tom ran through Engineering. The toxic plasma fumes were so thick he could barely see. He stumbled several times over instruments strewn across the floor. He accidentally stepped in a puddle. Plasma splashed all over his leg, burning through the black Starfleet issue pants he wore. Tom yelled in pain, but kept moving. He followed B'Elanna's instructions. He thought of her lying in the turbolift and pushed the last button. The warp core was off-line. It was over. He turned and ran back to the lift, trying to ignore the searing, burning pain in his leg.  
  
"I did it. Now we're going to Sick Bay," Tom said urgently. B'Elanna didn't fight him. "Okay," she said weakly. Her body was giving way. The toxic chemicals in the gas were slowly taking over her systems. She would last much longer. "Deck four," Tom told the lift. "The Captain must be furious with you. She'd never have allowed this." "She didn't. I came anyway. I couldn't lose you." "My hero." she trailed off. "B'Elanna? B'Elanna, hold on! Hold on for me. I love you." The lift stopped. The doors opened. Tom picked B'Elanna up and ran with everything he had to Sick Bay. After the Doctor took her, his leg gave out and he fell to his knees. He watched as the Doctor started working on her. Kes, Voyager's Ocompan nurse, pulled Tom to his feet and helped him to a Bio- Bed. She began working on his leg. Just before he passed out, she heard him whisper something. "Hold on for me."  
  
B'Elanna's eyes snapped open. Everything came back to her in a rush of memory: engineering, the core, the leak, and Tom. Tom! Where was Tom? "Doctor?" She looked around. The Doctor emerged from his office. "Ah, Miss Torres, you're awake," he said. He passed a medical tricorter over her. "Yeah," she said absently. "Where's Tom? I need to see him." "Mr. Paris has hardly left your side. Kes and I literally had to force him to get some sleep on that Bio-Bed. I nearly had to sedate him when he tried to turn off my holo-emitters. Luckily, Kes managed to talk him into a nap. She told him we'd wake him if there were any change. " "Well, keep your word. Wake him." "As you wish. Lieutenant!! Wake up! Miss Torres it awake," the Doctor nearly shouted. Tom bolt upright and off the bed. "She's what?" "Get over here, Tom! We have to talk. Doctor, could we get some privacy," B'Elanna growled. The Doctor nodded and retreated to his office. Tom hurried over and took her hand. "Hi." "Cut the crap and say it again." "What are you-" B'Elanna cut him off. "Right before I passed out, you told me to hold on and then you said something else. Now are you going to say it again or do I have to make you?" Tom laughed. "I love you. Don't you ever scare me like that again." B'Elanna sighed. "I won't, and I love you, too." "Well, good! You nearly gave me a heart attack. It's been five days! At least Captain Janeway didn't have me at CONN all week." "You're still a pilot?" "Janeway decided that even though I disobeyed and order, I was showing 'moral fiber.'" "Great! So, when can I get out of here and into your quarters?" "Don't know. Hope it's soon. I'll ask the Doc. DOC!" "Yes, you may go." The Doctor called from his office. "How-" " I figured it out for myself, considering who you are. And thanks to my excellent doctoring skills, you're just fine. But, be back here at 0800 tomorrow morning." By the time he was finished, they were gone.  
  
They laughed as they left Sick Bay behind. Tom took B'Elanna's hand and pulled her into the turbolift. "Deck three," he said. Then he kissed her. When the lift stopped, he pulled her into his quarters for a night no one would forget. 


End file.
